Storing cut tobacco



June 27, 1933 H. MULLER ET AL STORING CUT TOBACCO Filed Nov. 23, 19 31 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 9-. Mia/L w W w M m 1,

'June 27, 1933. H. MULLER ET AL STORING CUT TOBACCO 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 23, 1951 with removable lids.

Patented June 27, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT orrics HEINRICH MIU'LLEB, OF ALTONA-BAHRENFELD, AND FRANZ MUTE, OF BLANKENESE,

GERMANY, ASSIGNORS TO THE FIRM REEMTSMA-CIGARETTENFABRIKEN G. M. B. EL,

OF ALTONA-BAHRENFELD, GERMANY STORING CUT TOBACCO Application filed November 23, 1931, Serial No. 576,860, and in Germany November 26, 1930.

The storage of cut tobacco, which is necessary for equalizing the aroma and the moisture before treatment in a cigarette machine, has hitherto been effected in boxes equipped These boxes were stacked one upon another, and taken down after the requisite equalizing time, their con tents then being supplied to the cigarette machine.

This stacking of the boxes occasioned a great deal of work, and caused considerable wear of the chests. An equalization of the aroma and of the moisture could however only be effected in comparatively small quantities of tobacco, since the size of the chests had to be so selected that they still remained quite movable.

According to this invention these disadvantages are to be obviated by employing, for the storage of the tobacco, a stacking plant, in which one or more endless bands are provided, capable of being set in circulation and of being charged with the cut tobacco, these bands dividing the plant into individual stacking chambers.

A plant of this nature is diagrammatically illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, of which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic drawing in elevation of the plant; and

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view, diagram matically illustrating the drives of the various conveyor belts.

The tobacco comes out of the separator 1 arranged behind the cutting machines and passes through a feeding pipe 2 onto moving bands 4. For uniform distribution over the entire breadth of the bands 4 there may be provided in the tube 2 a positively controlled fiap or valve 3. There is also provided in front of each band a flap or valve 3, of which only one is shown by way of example in the drawings, which forms, in a state of rest, the closure of the individual stacking chambers, and which, when opened, allows the tobacco to slip past without resistance.

When the plant is being charged, the uppermost band first moves until it is completely covered with tobacco to the depth desired for storage. It is then automatically brought to a stand-still, the filling valve is closed, and in a similar manner the chambers located underneath it are filled.

Each individual stacking chamber is closed in itself, so that the equalization of the aroma and of the moisture of the entire mixture that fills one chamber is obtained. One stacking chamber may hold for example one manufacturing unit of 1000 kilogrammes.

The bands may be arranged side by side, but it is more convenient, as shown in the example, to arrange them one above the other stepwise, in which case the lowest band extends farthest forward at the inlet end, and

the uppermost band extends farthest at the outlet end. This stepwise arrangement facilitates both the filling and the emptying. When a valve 3a at the outlet end is opened, the tobacco passes, owing to further movement of the band, the speed of which is controlled according to requirements by known controlling members, from an outlet 5 on to a table 6, from which pneumatic conveying means 7 carry it to the cigarette machines 8.

In order to impart travel to the belts 4, the rollers supporting the belts are provided with pulleys 10 and trained therearound are sprocket chains.

What we claim is 1. Plant for storing cut tobacco before treatment in a cigarette machine, comprising a closed chamber with horizontally disposed endless belts movable in the chamber for the storage of the tobacco, said belts being vertically spaced to provide individual chambers, the ends of the respective belts being immediately connected with a common inlet and with a common outlet for the material, flap valves controlled independently of one another in the outlet and inlet serving to govern the admission of tobacco into the individual chambers and onto the belts from the common inlet, and its passage from the individual chambers to the common outlet.

2. Plant for storing cut tobacco as claimed in claim 1, wherein the endless belts are ar ranged one above the other and project in front of one another stepwise with the lowest belt projecting farthest at the admission end and the uppermost belt projecting farthest at the discharge end, the common inlet and the common outlet, and the closing flaps being inclined to adapt them to the stepwise arrangement of the belts. V

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification;

HEINRICH MULLER.

FRANZ 'MUTH. 

